False Echoes
by Eternity's Angel of Mercy
Summary: Link is left in a state of emotional turmoil as he copes with being a child in a world where no one knows who he is, or all he sacrificed for them. Without a single outlet for his anger, he plots how to make Zelda understand the pain she put him through.
1. There's No Place Like Home

_Disclaimer: The only things I own are my copies of the Zelda games. I have no rights to the characters, the places, or really anything else. So please enjoy this piece of fiction, and give me some feedback on it, too!_

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><p><strong>False Echoes<strong>

**Chapter One: There's No Place Like Home**

I stared at the flames as they flickered, trying to drown out the sound of Saria's laughter in the background. I hated to admit it, but my long-time friend's voice was beginning to grate at the very core of my being. She was too jovial; too thrilled to be around the others, sharing her dinner, making sweet, innocent small talk. Small talk which only served to force me further and further from the group, away from my old friends.

I felt myself growing cold with anger, as happened more and more frequently the older I aged. My hands clasped around my empty bowl, the wood beginning to splinter at the force. _She _did this to me. _She _made me return to this time, this place where no one knows who I am, what I had done…

The Princess. Her face etched itself into my memory; not the face of a silly little girl peeking through a window in her inner sanctum. It was the face of a young woman with a shocking spill of blonde hair and blue eyes that made me shiver. I found her face haunting me, that look of apathy as she shoved me into a living nightmare known as boyhood.

"Link! You're bleeding!"

I glanced up, only then aware that Saria was in front of me now, a look of utter shock on her sweet features. She tugged the bowl out of my hands, shaking her head. "Goddesses, Link! Look at your hands! Let me get a cloth so I can remove those splinters…"

Saria's other guests had seemed to have left early, eating their meals and running off to their own homes to sleep and dream. She now busied herself with wetting a cloth from a bucket of water, mothering me as if I were just a child.

I busied myself with pulling the large splinters from my hands, surprised that my anger had gotten so out of control in front of others. Hopefully the others hadn't seen or I was sure Mido would have some threatening words for me.

Saria came to sit before me again, taking my hands and washing them with the cool cloth. "What has you sad?" she asked calmly, her voice carefully neutral. Although the Kokiri had no chance of knowing what happened before, in that other time, Saria knew that something had changed me. Something outside of the forest, something while I was on the Deku Tree's final quest.

Yet, to the Kokiri, I had only been gone for a short time – four months, at most. I had never asked them how long I had been detained in Hyrule and Termina, I had never hinted at the fact that time was different for me now.

But somehow, Saria knew. She knew that I was confused about something.

"Link?" she prompted.

I pulled my hands back, murmuring softly, "It's nothing, Saria. I'm just tired."

Saria nodded but did not move away from me. She didn't meet my eyes as she asked, "You know that you can talk to me. You know… like you used to? I don't care that you've gotten bigger, or that your fairy left… you know that… right?"

And there it was… I knew the time would eventually come when Saria refused to pretend we were the same. I was now in the midst of my thirteenth year and had grown taller, leaner, stronger. The others were still as they had always been.

Yet, aside from my physical differences, I had changed emotionally and mentally. These changes had been with me since I returned to the Kokiri, seeking respite from everything I had seen and been a part of.

I wish more than anything that the anger I felt then hadn't grown, morphing into the sick fascination that I had now. I found myself awake at night, restless and angered at Zelda for taking away everything and everyone I had met and loved – especially Navi. My anger began to define me; I would imagine what I would tell Zelda if I saw her again – curse her for sending me back, curse her for making me spend so much of my life being Hyrule's savior, and then stripping it from me.

And where was she now, I wonder? This Zelda of the other time… was she enjoying caviar and oysters during a gala for royals, thinking nothing of the man she forced into boyhood? Was she aware of how much my hands trembled whenever I thought of meeting her again, how I wanted nothing more than to show her the same disservice she showed me?

"I know," I said finally, realizing that the longer I kept Saria waiting, the longer she would stare at me with her sad, doe-like eyes. "I don't… I don't belong here."

The words slipped out like so much water through the trees. The damage was done and there was nothing I could do or say to take it back. I watched my friend's face crumple and tears spring into her eyes.

"How could you say that?" she demanded, her hands making fists at her side. I could see her nails were biting into her childish palms, leaving crescent indentations in the flesh. "How could you? We love you, Link! This is your home and we are your family!"

"Saria…" That was all I could say. I watched her shake with sadness, and maybe even fear. I knew the girl had a fondness for me that I once mistook for true love. I now understood, having walked through life as an adult and now as an adult trapped in a child's body, that the Kokiri did not know true love. They are not creatures capable of it; the bond of mind, soul and body is something the Kokiri would never be able to accomplish.

And perhaps I wouldn't be able to, either. Not burdened by this hatred…

I went to my friend, wrapping her in my arms, kissing her cheek chastely. My lips stained with her tears, I whispered, "I will always remember you, Saria. Please do not hate me for what I must do."

I turned away from her broken form and went to the door, stepping out into the cold evening air. I lost the only friend I had left, and now it was time to go. I went to my tree house and collected my sparse things – my Kokiri sword, the Hylian shield that had seen me through so much, and my small bag of clothing. The boomerang, slingshot and bombs of my youth also filled the sack.

Looking about the house one more time, realizing that there was nothing for me left in the forest, I climbed down the ladder and made my way toward the bridge.

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><p>Mido watched the fairy-less twerp leave his home. Mido had half a mind to call out to the tall boy, to taunt him, but there was something unsettling about Link this evening. Mido watched as Link walked toward the bridge linking the forest to Hyrule and swallowed hard.<p>

Saria came out into the night, face glistening in the starlight. She had been crying. Mido felt his heart breaking at the look on the fairy girl's face. Without thinking, he strode over to the girl, putting a hand on her elbow.

"What did he do to you?" Mido asked, keeping his anger down as worry filled him.

Saria didn't look at him, simply stared up at the starry night. "He let himself go."

Mido felt relief flood him. "Well, good. He was no good for the forest, Saria. He's a Hylian; his own fairy left him. He's better off out there than in here."

Saria's eyes narrowed and he tugged herself out of Mido's grasp. "He might not have meant anything to you, but he meant everything to me! Why must you be so cruel?"

Mido's eyes widened as she chastised him, her tone poison in his ears. "Saria… I never meant to be cruel to you."

Saria scoffed, turning back toward her home. "Perhaps not to me – but what about to everyone else? The Deku Tree is dead – and weren't you supposed to protect him?"

"But Link…"

"Link tried to save him from the infection!" Saria spat. "He was more of a Kokiri, more loyal, than you could have ever been!" With that she turned on her heel and fled back into her home.

Mido punched the wall of her home in frustration, his hand aching from the impact. Even after Link made her cry and walked out in her time of need, Saria still adored him, still defended him. It made no sense…

Mido looked into the sky, wondering for the first time what the stars looked like from outside of the forest.

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><p><em>Author's Note:<em>

And there is the end to the dreaded introductory chapter! I kept it shorter because I honestly hate these intro chapters; it feels like it drags on and on and on and…

Anyway, please leave me some reviews, let me know how you feel so far. Just to give you a little bit of a feel for this story, know that it will be quite a bit darker that most OoT fics. Link is filled with a very violent rage that he might not be able to keep under lock and key for much longer, so angered by his feelings of betrayal by a girl he once thought he loved. :-)

I've been out of the FF scene for a while, and this is my first Zelda fic. Thanks a bunch to my husband, who proofread and brainstormed through a lot of plot-holes with me.

See you soon!

Love love,

Eternity


	2. A Snake Among the Reeds

False Echoes

Chapter Two: A Snake Among the Reeds

I awoke to something very warm and leathery scraping across my face. Before I could push the obtrusive thing aside, something wet splattered right across my cheek, running into my hair.

Making a startled sound of disgust, I threw myself into a standing position, grabbing the Kokiri sword with one hand, wiping my face with the other. I came face to face with my opponent, balking in shock to see a pair of sweet, dark eyes staring at me.

"Epona," I groaned, sheathing his sword. "I know I need a bath, but goddesses…"

"Well, you were just sleeping on the ground outside of her stall…" A girlish giggle made me smile despite the dreams that had darkened my sleep. Malon watched me, rocking back and forth in her little brown boots. She had gotten taller in the time since I last saw her; she was beginning to lose her belly and her breasts had just begun to blossom. She was strangely awkward to look at in this stage; standing in a dress too big for her developing body, her face seeming to be uneven with a much too small nose and large eyes. But she was still growing and still offered the same sweetness she had as a young girl, so her strange appearance was easily overlooked.

"Malon, hello," I greeted her. "I guess it was your idea to unleash her on me?"

Malon only smiled, tilting her head to the side. "She hasn't seen you in a long time – I knew she'd want to show off how big she's gotten. Gosh, can you even climb up onto her back now?"

I returned my gaze to the filly, now almost a mare. She was tall and sleek, almost completely full-grown. She was as gorgeous as I remember her from the other time, her mane soft and coat a lustrous red. She stamped the stable floor, nickering softly before nudging me gently with her leathery nose. I ran a hand lovingly over her nose, the ridge of her face, nuzzling her head close. The smell of her reminded me of all of those nights, in the other time, that I lay against her for warmth on our perilous journey.

"I missed you," I whispered against her strong jaw.

Malon smiled, murmuring, "I was surprised when you brought her back to me… after your journey through the woods," she added for clarification. It was more helpful then she knew, what with my knowledge of so many time lines.

"Termina was no place for us," I murmured softly, stroking the horse's flank. "And the Kokiri Forest is no place for Epona. I would worry a Skull Kid would steal her away, or the other children would unnerve her."

Malon nodded, opening her mouth to comment; she had no chance, however, for at that moment, Ingo's voice rang through the Ranch.

"MALON! FEED THE CHICKENS! AND COLLECT THOSE EGGS, TOO! DO YOU WANT US TO STARVE?"

Malon rolled her eyes but kept her cheerful demeanor as she grabbed a bucket of chicken feed. "Ingo is obsessed with eggs," she informed. "Eggs for breakfast, lunch, dinner… I would guess we don't have enough eggs to sell because he bathes in them, too. Would you like to help me?"

The girl made me feel at ease in a way the Kokiri couldn't. Perhaps it was because Malon would age as I aged, would come into emotions as readily as I would. Perhaps it was because she did not possess a fairy, to constantly remind me of my little winged friend that was lost to me.

I nodded, taking up a second bucket of feed. "I could help you with the horses, too." At Malon's surprised look, I added quickly, "When I came in last night, I noticed the cart was gone. I guess your dad was out delivering, so I thought you might need the help?" The last part came out as a question; I felt the all-too-familiar nervousness rearing its ugly head.

Malon looked genuinely pleased as she nodded, leading me to the chicken house at the back of the ranch.

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><p>Her face was so open, so nurturing, as though she was watching a child. She smelled of the sweetest flowers imaginable, like sunshine, like love itself. Her voice was the softest silk, her skin glowing like the golden goddesses themselves. As she spoke, I felt all of the love within me brimming… almost overflowing, and all for her. "Link…" Her lips curled into a gentle smile; her shimmering hair fluttered in the breeze. "Now, go home, Link; regain your lost time!"<p>

"No," I begged, feeling panic grip my insides. The love was replaced with absolute fear. How could she do this to me? How could she do this to me all over again? My hands clawed toward her, as though to snatch the Ocarina back from her. She was so close, and yet all of my reaching came nowhere close to her.

"Home... where you are supposed to be...the way you are supposed to be..."

"No! Zelda!"

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><p>Five years passed like this; helping Malon on the ranch, dodging insults and pointed attempts at food poisoning from a jealous Ingo, Talon's outright approval at everything I did… and falling asleep to dream of the gorgeous face that so mercilessly threw me into a chaos of life without choice.<p>

I spent much of my time on the ranch; however I would go travelling now and then, simply riding Epona down to Lake Hylia or Kakariko Village. I helped the old scientist in the laboratory for a time, or spend months with the cuckoo trainer.

For some reason, however, I would always return to Lon Lon Ranch. No matter how long I had been away, be it a few weeks or a few months, I was always welcomed with a fierce hug from Malon. I knew she was sweet on me; how could she not be? I was the only boy she had known for any expanse of time. I felt nothing in return for the girl, though, and it bothered me many a night.

I had the yearnings of any man; I was now eighteen, more than an adult in the eyes of Hyrule. I believe that Talon, Ingo and Malon all assumed that I would ask for Malon's hand in marriage. I am sure they thought I had taken my time in doing so because of my quiet, nervous disposition.

So when I announced my plans on moving along for some time, to perhaps go see the Goron or Zora races, their looks of complete shock were expected.

"But… what will you do with them?" From Malon, who looked more puzzled at my choice of companions than anything else.

"Boy, you got good honest work here! Quit being so stupid and stay here before we hire someone else to do your job!" That, of course, was Ingo.

"Link, you're part of the family," Talon began, his large burly eyes blinking wearily at me. "If you feel you must go, then you have our support. And you always have a bed here," he added, smiling through his scruffy mustache.

I said my thanks, accepting the hug from Talon and the gruff, annoyed handshake of Ingo. Malon walked me outside, where I had Epona saddled and bridled, a sack of clothing, food and supplies on her back.

"Do you have enough to eat?" Malon asked, fidgeting as she brushed down Epona's mane. "Do you have a blanket in case it gets cold? What about oats for Epona?"

"Malon," I murmured gently, moving her away from the horse. "I have everything. I know this is hard on you, and your father… but I need to do this. I need to move along."

"Aren't you happy?" she asked, her eyebrows knitted in concern. "Is it something I did that made you want to leave?"

This all reminded me too much of Saria, of how distressed she was as I left. I couldn't leave another woman who cared for me emotionally desolate. "I am happy here, Malon; you could never do anything to make me leave. I… just have to do this. For me. It's nothing against you."

"So… so you will come back to me? To the ranch?" She pressed, her eyes hopeful.

I didn't want to lie to her. I could easily die along the road, or find a home where I belonged. Or maybe I would find a way to get back to the other time, the time I so desperately wished to belong to. "I don't know," I answered honestly.

Malon nodded. Her expression was saddened, but she managed a smile for me. I climbed into Epona's saddle, rechecked my luggage, and waved farewell. I set off toward Goron City, the sun already sinking to the west.

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><p>Author's Note: It's a bit slow-going at this point, I know, but plot is very soon to come! As in… the next chapter. :-) What's going to happen in Goron City? Will Link find something that brings him closer to seeing Zelda? Perhaps something that makes him hate her even more…? Hehehe!<p>

Thank you for all of your kind reviews and sweetness! Thanks again to my hubby for the beta'ing.

Love love,

Eternity


	3. This Red Earth

False Echoes

Chapter Three: This Red Earth

I ran a loving hand over Epona's warm flank as I watched her munch happily on her oats. I glanced over to Nalae, the cuckoo trainer and my longtime friend. Her soft, doe-like eyes regarded us, her hands folded delicately in front of her. "I'll take good care of her, Link," Nalae assured me again.

"I know you will, and you have my many thanks," I said, smiling gratefully. "It's hard being apart from her, but Death Mountain is no place for her. She's too easy of a target," I added, trying to add levity to the statement.

Nalae's brow creased in worry. "I don't understand why you want to go to Death Mountain; let alone Goron City. It's no place for us. It's dangerous there, Link. Surely you've heard about what happens there?"

I dismissed her words by turning to her, taking her folded hands in mine. "Nalae, you have been a wonderful tutor and friend. But the Gorons aren't nearly as fearsome as everyone believes."

Her brow knitted further and her grip on my hands tightened. "Link, I don't mean-"

I hushed her with a gentle squeeze to her small hands, calloused from pulling weeds and receiving pecks from the cukoos. "I know. I will be safe and return for Epona within a fortnight."

Nalae sighed, seeming resigned to her defeat. "At least spend the night? You look exhausted. Do those Lon Lon Ranch people not let you sleep? Or maybe it's the delivery girl that is keeping you up at night?" she attempted to tease, but I saw the look of envy in her chocolaty eyes.

_How do I attract every woman aside from the one I desired?_ I thought ruefully. I pulled away from Nalae, eyes going downcast. "You know there's nothing between myself and Malon. I have told you before." Before she could apologize, as she always did after a transgression, I hefted my bag of supplies over one shoulder. "Goodbye, Nalae. I will see you soon."

Nalae nodded, moving to stand beside Epona. She brushed down the mare's silky mane with her fingers, all the while watching me. "Be safe. Try to avoid the guards."

I smiled softly, remembering the stoic Gorons positioned at key entrance of Dodongo's Cavern and Goron City. They were never very intimating to me, even when I was a child. More than anything they looked like rocks ripe for the climbing. "I will," I assured her, turning from her fenced enclosing and hoping the gate.

I turned one last time, seeing Epona watching me with her large, intelligent eyes. "Stay here, Epona," I bade, as if speaking to a dog. Epona snuffed, almost as if annoyed, before lowering her face to her oats.

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><p>I quickly realized that I should have heeded Nalae's words a bit more, or perhaps questioned her fears. If I had, then maybe I wouldn't be staring at something too awful for my mind to fully comprehend.<p>

The red earth had become stained; thick, viscous black rivulets congealed on the rock faces that lined the path toward Dodongo's Cavern. And there were bones... so many bones. Bones much too large and thick to be from a human. My heart quickened as pieces began to click into place. Something was killing the Gorons. Something that wielded a sword, judging from the numerous slash marks on the bones closest to me.

I felt bile rising in my throat. Humans. Humans were doing this. It had to be the Gerudo - but what reason did they have? Ganondorf was sealed away forever - more than likely, Nabooru had become the benevolent ruler she was always intended to be.

But who else would do this?

My feet began to move. I was in the backseat of my own mind, a passenger to the fear and anger that caused my limbs to move. Soon I was running, ignoring the sour, acrid smell in the air as it slowly became more and more overwhelming.

And then I stopped abruptly as I cleared the hill and came face-to-face with Dodongo's Cavern. Instead of the massive boulder that had blocked the entrance so many years ago, there was a pile of bodies. A pile of Goron bodies.

They were burning.

I was shaking – I wasn't sure if it was in horror or rage, but my knees gave out beneath me. I sank down onto the parched, blood-stained earth and trembled like a child. What was happening?

"You there! What business do you have in the mountain?"

I turned my head slowly, eyes falling on a man in armor. The bright, brilliant silver of his armor contrasted starkly with the dark green breeches. His face was obscured by a familiar looking helmet, also in the same polished silver.

"Are you one of the new recruits?" the man pressed. When I did not answer, the man's hand fell to the sword at his side. He did not draw, but he looked ready to do so at a moment's notice. "Find your tongue, boy, or you might lose your life!"

"Did you do this?" I finally asked, voice coming out with more control than I felt.

The man was silent for a time before drawing his sword. Instead of coming at me, he raised it skyward, stood straight, and intoned, "By order of her Majesty, Princess Zelda, I order you, civilian, to go back to Kakiriko Village. This cavern and the mines therein are property of Her Majesty and the crown of Hyrule; the peoples of this mountain are rewarded for their help to the crown and dispatched for treason to the crown."

My mouth was dry. I wanted to be hearing this incorrectly. I didn't want to think that Zelda, even after the cruelty she showed me, was capable of this. "Zel...da?"

The soldier relaxed his posture, turning the sword point toward me. "You shall speak of her as Her Highness, whelp! Return to your village immediately or suffer the consequences by my blade!"

My hand twitched. The dark passenger of my mind wanted to grab the Hylian sword on my back and bury it, hilt deep, in the soldier. The blind rage and anger was so fierce that I felt ill because of it. I shuddered and somehow found my footing. "Her Highness has made a mistake," I whispered, clenching my fists. I went quietly down the mountain, all the while planning on how to get into Goron City.

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><p>I was extremely careful to not arouse suspicion as I snuck into the Kokiri Forest. It was making a mistake, I knew it was, but I had no other choices. I had been lost in the forest before and made it through... hopefully my memory served me as well as I thought it did; it had been eight years since I had gone into the woods withGoronCityas my destination.<p>

I made it through the Kokiri Village without being spotted. I was quick and light on my feet as I climbed the back wall and steep hill up to the entrance of the forest. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of a fairy coming toward me, but I ignored it. Blindly, I ran into the forest - and came face-to-face with Saria.

The girl watched me keenly, seeming unsurprised; as though she expected me. Her eyes didn't have the warm, happy glow I remembered; now they were cold and calculating. "Link." Simple. Emotionless.

"Saria," I murmured, stepping back and looking down at her girlish, child-body. "It's been a long time."

"You've grown tall and slender." Saria's mouth was drawn into a firm line, almost as though she was displeased. "Somehow I knew this was how you would look. I'm not sure why, but I knew." I kept his thoughts quiet, but inside a glimmer of hope overwhelmed me. She could remember me like this? Older, stronger, more like a Hero of Time... how could she remember?

She turned, stepping further into the dense trees, so thick they resembled walls. "You are seeking the Goron City? The forest told me you would come seeking entrance the moment your boot touched the bridge."

"Will you try to stop me?" I asked softly.

Saria made an exasperated noise in the back of her throat. "If I meant to stop you, I would have let you wander aimlessly around the forest until you turned into a skullkid. I am here to help you." With that, she began to walk.

My large gait kept an easy pace with her small legs, which seemed to annoy the fairy-child further. "You know, the Kokiri have forgotten about you," she alleged. "It's like you were never here. I mentioned you once a long time ago, and all I got were blank stares."

"No one was as keen on me as you... the "Fairyless Boy" wasn't very popular, in case you forget," I murmured softly, careful with wording. I didn't want to sound cold, however the thought of the other children and their blatant unease with my aging annoyed me.

A somber silence descended on us, Saria seeming to have gone mute. After a few moments, she continued softly, "That's not it, Link. They don't remember anyone ever living in your tree house. They thought those drawings at the base of your tree were drawn by Kelso. Kelso, of all people! Not a creative bone in his body, yet everyone believes he drew those pictures." She went quiet before chuckling mirthlessly. "It's like the forest erased you from their minds."

We walked in silence for close to an hour. The darkened sky began to brighten, making the leaves above us lighten and seem more joyous. It reminded me of the faint hum of music I would hear through the forest when Navi was with me; the sign that I was not lost, that my path was true. I wished I could hear it again, even for a moment.

"We're here," Saria whispered, glancing up at the large marbled pillars. "You shouldn't cross the threshold, Link. I have felt a stirring from this path, and it is very dark."

"There are people, if you can call them that, exploiting my friends on the other side of this passage," I said gently.

"Would you do the same for us?" Saria asked, green eyes meeting my blue ones for the first time since I had left the forest. "Would you come to our rescue?"

"Of course," I answered instantly. "You are my... my friend, Saria. You always have been. I am sorry I hurt you."

"You would come to our beck and call, but you still insist you don't belong here?"

I lowered myself to the ground to better see her. Saria's eyes were glimmering with unshed tears, but her face was surprisingly stoic. "Saria. I wish I could make you believe me. You will always be my closest friend." I stood, murmuring a soft farewell, before following the path deep into the ground and toward Death Mountain.

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><p>I wasn't sure how long I had been walking through the passage, but I was very aware of how sore my calves were. I had left Epona in Kakiriko with Nalae so that she would remain in good hands. However, that meant I had walked to the forest, then through the forest, and now though a passageway that I had to stoop to fit through. A kink was forming in my neck and another in my lower back.<p>

Memories of my warm bed at the Ranch filtered through my disoriented, groggy mind. I could hear the horses nickering softly in my mind's eye; the steady breathing of Ingo in the room over; Malon's soft footfalls as she stole into my room to watch me when she thought I was asleep...

Or there was the room off of Nalae's that I used when he stayed with her for training. I could remember the smell of warm milk from her pampered heifer; Nalae's red hair and how it fanned around her face as she slept late into the morning; her gentle laugh when I would get pecked by a cuckoo and her motherly doting when the peck would be more serious than expected.

I didn't hear the soft whoosh of the blow dart or feel it pierce my neck. I didn't realize I was falling to the ground or that a very tall, very angry shape was looming toward me in the small passage. All I heard was the voices of the women I had known, had loved in my own way, and who would have been better off if I'd never existed.

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><p><em>You were being reckless, Link," a soft voice chastised. "You should be more careful!"<em>

_Link opened his eyelids slowly, meeting a set of icy, loving eyes framed by thick, luscious lashes. He sat up quickly, falling back on the luxurious bed and gaped at the woman before him. "Zelda?" he whispered._

_She tilted her head to the side, compassionate eyes blinking slowly as her lips tilted into a gracious smile. She was so ethereal, sitting there before him with her shimmering golden hair falling about her like a waterfall. She looked different now - her hair was much longer, her clothing less reserved and regal. The dress she wore was a simple sheath of green silk caressing her perfect body._

_"Link, you act as though you have seen a ghost!" She stood and delicately padded over to an impressive vanity in the corner. She sat on the plush, pink stool and began powdering her nose in the mirror. "Surely I don't look as frightful as that! I know I haven't dressed properly yet, but goddesses!"_

_"You look... beautiful." Link found his footing and slowly stepped toward her. "What happened? Who attacked me?"_

_"Attacked you?" Zelda laughed. She was in the middle of applying kohl to her upper eyelid, holding the applicator gently. "Don't be silly, darling. No one attacked you! The horse got spooked is all; she sent you flying! Gave us all quite a fright –why weren't you holding the reins, silly boy? I will need to call on that Ingo fellow and reprimand him for not training the horses appropriately. I specifically told him that they were to be hunting steeds, and what does he do? He gives us a horse that is scared of a fox!"_

_To say he was confused was an understatement. Link couldn't fathom what Zelda was telling him. What was she babbling about? Horses and foxes and Ingo? It made no sense! "No, I was in the tunnel... the tunnel leading to Goron City. How did you find me?"_

_The applicator snapped in Zelda's hand. Her eyes were fierce, angry, and her hands shook. She tried to laugh as she dusted the broken shards of wood and kohl from her dressing gown, but it sounded forced and lifeless. _

_"Link, darling, I haven't any idea what you're talking about. Goron City? What would you be doing in such a forsaken place? You haven't a place near those heathens!" Her eyes met his in the mirror and her beauty had slipped away. She look enraged, the blue of her eyes seeming to flash a vivid violet. As quickly as the transformation happened, it was over. His princess was soft-featured and mild mannered again, blinking slowly and coyly at him in the mirror._

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><p>My head was pounding when I awoke, the images of Zelda lingering in my mind's eye. I was sick to my stomach and my throat felt as though it was sealed shut. There was an awful smell in the air, something he had smelled recently…<p>

Burning flesh.

I rolled over and vomited. I was shaking as I tried valiantly to pull my arms over to support myself. The efforts were all in vain; I finally had the mind to notice my hands were tied in front of me. I fell back into my original position on my back and slowly opened my eyes.

A rock ceiling loomed above me, high and tall and covered in various paintings… all of Gorons killing humans.

"Good for you to finally wake up, boy," a gruff voice intoned off to my side. I tried to turn my head but a swift kick to my kidney sent me gasping, coiling into a fetal position.

Another kick, this time to my back, sent me vomiting again. I struggled to move away from the violent feet, only to have my legs roughly grabbed. I was drug across a plush carpet and onto a fireplace hearth.

"Let's eat him! I haven't had a meat meal in two years!" someone jeered.

"I think he's too scrawny to eat, brother," someone else said, their voice shaking.

"The humans will only kill more of us if they find out we ate one of them!" another chimed in.

"Silence."

I started, my eyes opening wide. It all made sense now. I wasn't at the Palace. I wasn't with Zelda.

"We will not defile the body, even if it is one of our sworn enemies," the demanding, rough voice spoke. "But we will see that the boy does not survive the night."

I struggled to raise my head and confirm my suspicions. I locked eyes with the Goron and rasped out, "Darunia… brother. It's me… Link."

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

Woohoo! Plot line. :) I told you all it was coming! And it makes me feel quite disheartened that certain folks comment with a "this is overdone" before I even unveiled the plot. I am pretty sure no one has gone the way I am taking this – and we don't know the full story yet, either, so who knows what's really going on?

Anywhoo, that just bugged me a bit. I appreciate everyone's reviews, though! So keep them coming. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated; so is error-catching! My husband did a quick beta of it for me last night, but I'm sure we might have missed a few things.

Love love,

E!


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